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You have come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.

Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.

The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.

The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to simply take people’s money.

Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.

The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.

“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is correctly licensed.